Davao de Oro quakes leave P226-million infrastructure damage

MANILA – The damage to infrastructure caused by a series of earthquakes in Davao de Oro has topped P200 million, the head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said Wednesday.

• Twin quakes rock Davao De Oro

“Based on the initial rapid damage assessment and needs analysis report, we have a total of P226 million, mahigit P226 million na danyos,” said PDRRMO Head Joseph Randy Loy. 

The entire Davao de Oro has been placed under a state of calamity after a string of tremors damaged hundreds of houses in the southern province last week.

• Entire Davao de Oro placed under state of calamity due to series of quakes

Loy said thousands of families in the province were still in evacuation centers.

“As of yesterday may iilan na po nakauwi ng kanilang bahay and it has been already trimmed down--from 5,799 ....as of kahapon 4 p.m., meron na lang po tayo higit 4,000 na pamilya na nasa evacuation centers,” he said.

(Some have returned home and only around 4,000 families remain in evacuation centers.) 

Authorities are providing food, water, and other assistance to the displaced residents, he said. 

--TeleRadyo, 15 March 2023